Draining device for meter casings



Feb. 23 1926.

DRAINING DEVICE FOR METER CASIN GS Filed Oct. 14, 1922 N I I0 nvmwrak w/rn/ssaes l4- 6 I QM QM a. (hi h 7 3 Patented as. aa isae.

UNHTED STATES PATENT QFFIQE.

ABBAM G. HOLMES, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

fvention.

DRAINING, DEVICE FOR BIETER CASINGS.

Application filed October 14, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAM G. HOLMES, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident ing the casing.

A; further-object is to produce a new and improved meansfor draining meter casings which provides an effective means for sealing the ineter casing, and alsosimplifies the 56211111}; operation.

These and other objects which will be made more apparent from the further description of the invention are attained by means of apparatus embodying the features herein described and illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof.

In the drawings,' Figure 1 is an end elevation of a metercasing embodying my in- Fig. '2 is a side elevation of the casing shown in Figure 1, a portion being shown in section for convenience of illustration. Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view along the line 83 of Fig. 2.

It is essential to provide means for remo'ving such liquid as may accumulate within a'meter casing, and this is usually accomplishedby providing drainage apertures in the casing which are normally closed by means of plugs. In the drawings I have illustrated a well known form of meter casing which consists essentially of a central or body portion 4: and two cover plates 5 5. Each cover plate is flanged as at 7 and is secured to a flange 6 formed on the body portion 4: by means ofscrews. Each cover is recessed to provide a pocket 8 ior receiving dirt and liquid. Such a structure necessitates drainage apertures for the portion of the casing enclosed by the body portion and also drainage apertures for each pocket 8., Heretofore, it has been necessary to pro vide two or more drainage apertures for each pocket 8, because oi the construction of the cover plates.

Serial No. 594,520.

With my invention, I not only obtain complete drainage of the plate pockets 8 with but one drainage aperture for each plate, but the structure employed by me also simplifies the operation oi sealing the meter casing and making the casting.

Heretoitore, it has been customary to provide the body portion 4 with flanges 6 such as are illustrated in Fig. 2, and which are adapted to be engaged by the flanges '7 of the cover plates. It has also been customary to secure each plate to the body t by means ot screws spaced circumferentially with relation to flange (3. In order to insure a tight tit between the end plates and the body l at all points around the edge of the plate, it has been necessary to provide a special form of end plate so arranged that one or more securing screws are located within the space subtended by the drainage pocket. This requirement has been satisfied by providing at least onerecess in the exterior face of the pocket portion of each cover plate and at least one complementary body-en gaging face on the inner face of each cover. The portion of the plate so formed is provided with a screw-receiving aperture and is so located and arranged that it engages an adiacent flange or lug (5 forming a part of or cooperating with the body flange 6. Such a construction however divides the lower portion of the pocket 8 of each cover plate into at least two moisture collecting cavities and means must therefore be provided for drainmg each of these cavities.

lVith my invention I provide a cover substantially similar to the cover above described in that it is provided with a screw receiving flange 7 which extends substantially around the plate and engages the flange 6 of the body l. This flange is interrupted by the pocket 8 oi the cover. but instead of providing the usual recess for receiving a cover retaining screw 1), I proately opposite the screw receiving aperture formed in fl'ange 10 and is preferably axially aligned with that aperture.

The spacing of the plate-holding screws is preferably such that the screw 9 is located adjacent to the lowermost part of the body t, since under such conditions the aperture 11 may be of minimun'i size and yet accon plish a complete draining of the pocket 8. As shovni, the aperture 11 is tapped and is adapted to receive a conical threaded plug 12 which normally closes it and which also contributes to an effective scaling for the meter casing.

The operation of assembling the casing is as followexlhe plugs 11 each cover '5 are removed. The covers are then placed in'pos'tion on the body at so that their flanges 7 and 10 engage the flanges 6 and 6 and so that the screw receiving apertures in these flanges register with the tapped 'r-ipertures provided n flanges 6 and 6 of the body. Cover holding screws 9. are then employed for securing the covers in place on the body 4- and a cover locking member such as a screw 9 is introduced through the apertures 11 of each cover and is secured in place in the registering screw-receiving aperture of the flanges 6 and 10 by means of a screw driver which'is inserted throughtheaperture 11. The plugs 12 are then screwed "intothe apertures 11. p

All meters are sealed for the purpose of preventing access to their interior by unauthorized individuals while the meters are in use. This is ordinarily accomplished'by employing sealing wires and seals on all plugs and also by passing sealing wires through registering apertures formed in the flanges 6' and 7 of the body portion and cover plates respectively. This special precaution of sealing the cover phtes in place is necessary with "a r casing because all of the crews are accessible from with my invention at least one retaining screw of each cover is enclosed within the interior of the casing and therefore is not accessible when the plugs 11 are in place. The plates 5-5 will therefore be effectively sealed it the usual sealing means is employed in comiection with the plugs 11.

- comprising a body,

each cover, depending on the necessary spacing of the cover holding screws but that it will only be necessary to employ one of these apertures as adrainage aperature, and that consequently the other apertures may be more or less permanently closed after the cover retaining screws are introduced through them. A convenient method of introducing the screws 9 through the cover apertures 11 is to slightly peen over the edges of the slot termed in the head of the screw so that when the point of the screw driver is introduced into the screw. slot the peened-over edges will grip the blade of the driver with suficient force to hold the screw on the driver while it is being introduced through the aperture 11 and into the screw receiving aperture of the flangelt).

it will also be understood that any suitable closure may be employed for the drainage apertures andthat various changes and substitutions may be made in the apparatus described and in the arrangement and location of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination in a meter casing, a

body, a cover plate recessed torform a pocket and provided with a drainage aperture for the pocket, a reentrant body-engaging member formed 011 the cover plate and projecting into the confines of the pocket and having a screw-receiving aperture formed therein, and located opposite to said drainage aperture, a body-engaging screw within said screw-receiving aperture, and means for-closing said drainage aperture and for preventing unauthorized access to said screw.

2. In a meter casing, a body, a cover plate having a recess formed therein and pro-v vided with a drainage aperture, a re-entrant, body-engaging flange formed on' the cover plate and projecting into the confines of the recess, a body-engaging member engaging said flange and located opposite to said drainage aperture, and meansv for closing said drainage aperture and preventing unauthorized access to said member.

3. A meter casing'cbmprising a body, a recessed cover having a drainage aperture formed in the recessed port-ion thereof and a re-entrant body-engaging flange formed thereon and projecting into the confines of the recess, a memberengaging said body and said flange and, located opposite to said drainage aperture and within said recess, and a plug for closing said drainage aperture.

at. In combination with. a meter casing a recessed cover having an aperture formed in the recessed portion thereof, and a re-entrant body-engaging flange formed thereon, a COYEl' locking member engaging said flange and said body and located within the space enclosed by the body end the cover and adjacent said aperture, a plug for closing said aperture, and

7 means for sealing said plug in place Within said aperture and preventing unauthorized access to said member.

5. In combination with a meter eas ng comprising a body, and a cover having an aperture formed therein, a cover securing member adapted to be inserted through said aperture, engaging the cover and the body and located wholly within the interior of said casing, means for closing said aperture while said member is in engagement with the body and the cover, and means for sealing said closing means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this eleventh day of 20 October, 1922.

ABE-AM G. HOLMES. 

